Chapter Ten

Jon winced and turned to her. "Does it matter?"

Heat crept up his neck. She was professional, but it was pretty obvious that she wasn't exactly happy about the proposition. Maybe a little time had given her a different perspective. She'd be spending a lot of time with him unless she used one of her employees. The thought rankled.

She lifted herself from the chair and strode over to where the coffee Claire had made. Pouring herself a cup and mixing in the cream she brought it to her lips and sipped. "Not to the end result, but before I even agree to this. What's changed your mind, from the thought of having a woman protect you?" She'd figured he wasn't actually a sexist, but she'd have some fun with it.

He'd worked with women all his life. He had a strong willed mother, ex-wife and daughter. He knew how capable they were. Hell, he'd do anything for any one of them...even his ex-wife. But the thought of a woman, even one with the impressive background MacKenzie had, protecting him rubbed him wrong. To willingly put her in danger so he could...what? Go out, do the things he'd scheduled three--sometimes four months ago? To even walk in the same room as their future president. And he had to make sure that he trusted this woman to do that. He wasn't sure he could.

"I'm sure you're more than capable..." he trailed off.

She rested the cup down on the end of the table and dusted her palms together. His eye had caught a piece of art on her wall that her Dad had bought her one year for Christmas. She walked up behind him and stood next to him observing the art as he was. "It's not just a matter of whether I'm capable, it’s a matter of whether you can trust me to be." She wanted the job.

As much as anything, the money and reputation to her company would be worth it. A small part of her wanted to finish the job, she opened it...she knew what he was up against and she could handle it. But the question was could he handle what he was getting into with her? He had to, or it would never work. In one sharp movement, she grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back and wrapped her leg around his disabling any movement he could possibly make. Pressing her whole body into him, she inhaled the deep scent of spice as she leaned in even closer.

"Can you trust me? I know you are used to protecting women, but you've got to let me protect you.”

He struggled automatically, until she pressed her entire body length against him and settled him forcefully into the wall. Her strength was a surprise, but the effective immobilization stung. He was reasonably versed in self defence thanks to a life time of martial arts in his household, but even Dorothea at her strongest couldn't pin him for more than a second against a wall.

Not to mention those pins usually dissolved into playtime of the rambunctious kind. There was no play here. Even if his cock jumped at her breath in his ear, the rest was serious and humbling. He didn't fucking like to be humbled. "Back off, I get it," he growled.

She backed off, the warmth of his body shaking her a bit. Her heart raced widly in her chest, christ. Was she making a mistake wanting to do this? When clearly there was some attraction. She'd just have to compartentalize it and move on with the job. “Sorry, I would of done it last night but I don't believe in inflicting pain on the intoxicated.” She smiled and slipped back into her chair. “Sit. Let's talk like adults about this.” She gestured for the chair.

He rolled his shoulder, but there was no pain...well, other than the ass kicking his pride was taking today. Good Fuck. Too keyed up he walked back to her desk and leaned down, his fingers splayed over a blizzard of papers. "I get it MacKenzie. You are more than qualified for this position, but do you realize what you'll have to endure, going out with me?"

He stood and sighed, pacing again. "I'll give you my ex-wife's number so you can see just what kind of crap she had to deal with." He turned back to her, his arms crossed again. "You can't lunge at every woman that tries to get to me, you understand that right?"

This time she couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not going to lunge at every woman that tries to get to you Jon. I know better than that." She studied him the length of him, from his long fingers that were tapping up a strom on her desk, to the cinnamon spike of his hair. She sighed. "It's not going to be easy, for both of us at first. But we'll adjust. Sure there will be teething problems. And yes I'm going to have to live in your pocket. You're going to hate that, I know you are. But we seem to be two of a kind in a way," she mused.

He snorted. "Are you sure you'll be able to pretend you're my girlfriend? I suppose you're a good actress with your line of work anyway." Her eyebrows shot up and he waved the statement away. "Why don't you come over tonight after work and we'll figure out the logistics. I'll inform my staff that you'll be given clearance."

"As long as I don't need to go get a makeover," she said sarcastically back popping her tongue into her cheek before he laughed. "Sure, that sounds like an idea. I'll need to size up the place for a few things. Plus check out my room.” She closed her eyes for a nano second as the reality of what she was doing sunk in. She'd had other personal security jobs sure, but none where she had to pretend to be someone's girlfriend. And she had to pull this off as one whiff of this escaping to the Bloods, both her and Jon's life would be on the line. It was a tall order but this is the stuff she dreamt of as a kid. She'd even imagined in her early days of being a celebrity escort, but back then it was more imagining it was George Clooney or someone like that.

In all the times she did imagine being on the end of George Clooney there had been one thing missing. The spark that ignited every time she touched him, or he touched her. Like it did with Jon. She'd trust herself to put that aside and focus on the business she could do that. Too much would be at risk. Least the public flirting wouldn't look fake, right?

There was tons of stuff to organize; her life was about to change for the next month or so, or however long this took. Her life as she knew it would change. She'd have to work from his apartment, she couldn’t be seen near the offices. It was going to drive her batshit trusting David, and to run everything by voice or video conference. She had to live in his house, be friends with who he was friends with.

It was like an instant boyfriend, without the emotional attachments. On one hand, it scared the crap out of her. Bu the other had her looking forward to hanging out with him as she was sure they had common interests. She wanted to make this as easy for him as possible as well so she'd try and fit into with whatever mould he had for her.

"What I will need between now and then, is a list of everyone you have contact with. Who they are, how often you contact them and what for." She saw the look in his eyes before she delivered the next blow. "And the one thing you have to promise me right here and now. Is, that we have no secrets. You have to be fully honest with me at all times.”

He felt the twinge in his spine, the need to get the hell out of there. He wasn't sure he could go all in with someone again, even if it was pretend. "I won't keep you in the dark about anything that pertains to this arrangement, but there are some things you'll just have to take on faith, MacKenzie. I don't trust new people easily, so I can only promise to do my best."

She blew out her breath. "Thank you, that's all I ask if we want to make it work. I want to make it work. For you. So you have my trust as well in all this. Anything that happens in the privacy of your own home. Stays there.”

He nodded curtly. "Write up your paperwork and just text me or call to give me a head's up when you'll be arriving." He walked to the door, didn't turn around when he swallowed hard. "I don't want my family to know. They matter above all else, MacKenzie, please understand that."

"I hope you're a helluva actress to pull this off."

She understood that more than anyone. Family came first. And he was a family man. She needed to talk to him about the kids. But that would come tonight. Along with everything else. The words actress rung in her head. Shit, holy crap she really was going to have to be the rock star’s girlfriend. "I will be. Don't you worry. It's my job just like it’s yours to act a show. And I understand about the family, we'll talk more on that tonight. I'll pick up Chinese if you don't mind."

He nodded again. "I'm not picky anything with spice and veggies, I'm good." He slipped out the door before he could reveal anything else. God, he hoped he could do this. How could she not know how attracted to her, he was? And how was he supposed to turn it the fuck off? He gave a half smile to his receptionist and fled.

She sat at her desk and watched him disappear maybe she’d been too harsh on him? She hadn’t meant to come across so brash but he had to know what he was in for. This wasn’t just some roommate moving in. This was going to up heave his life, both of theirs in a huge way. She picked up her coffee and shook her mouse, starting to clear her schedule for the next month or so. She flicked David an IM to come and see her when he was free. Could she pull this one off? Only time would tell.